Apocalypse: Reborn with a Soul Sync Farming Space System-Chapter 186 Seize Him!

Back in the fortress, the commander’s office remained quiet despite the tension spreading through every corner of the walls, the heavy doors shut tightly as if trying to isolate the storm gathering outside.

While inside, Grandpa Wayne sat behind his desk with his posture straight, his fingers resting lightly on the arm of his chair as his sharp eyes remained fixed on the man standing before him.

Enzo stood a few steps away, his expression calm but serious, the weight of his report evident in the slight tightening of his jaw as he spoke. "Strange movements have been observed outside the walls," he said, his voice steady. "A large number of animals are heading in our direction."

Grandpa Wayne’s eyes narrowed immediately, the lines on his face deepening as his brows furrowed sharply. "Animals?" he repeated slowly, his tone carrying both doubt and calculation. "Not infected?"

"They are not behaving like normal animals," Enzo replied. "Their movement is too coordinated. They are not scattering or hunting. They are heading here."

Silence followed for a brief moment as Grandpa Wayne leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze lowering as he processed the information before lifting again. "Did Laurel leave any instructions?" he asked.

Enzo nodded. "She did."

Grandpa Wayne’s fingers tapped once against the armrest. "Speak."

"She instructed us to head to the engineering sector and retrieve the weapons developed from the meteor rock," Enzo said. "They are already being installed around the fortress perimeter."

For a brief second, Grandpa Wayne’s eyes widened slightly, the reaction subtle but unmistakable, before his expression hardened again, the earlier surprise replaced with something colder. He leaned forward slowly, his gaze sharpening.

"She told you," he said.

Enzo did not respond immediately.

Grandpa Wayne let out a low breath, his lips pressing into a thin line as something unpleasant settled in his chest, a feeling he could not easily ignore. It was not anger alone, but something deeper, something that made him feel as though he had been quietly set aside, like a figure still holding authority but no longer trusted with what truly mattered.

"And what exactly do these weapons do?" he asked after a moment, his tone controlled.

Enzo paused briefly, choosing his words carefully before speaking. "The meteor rock contains a dense crystalline structure that reacts strongly to energy input," he began. "When integrated into the weapon system, it acts as both a power amplifier and a focusing medium."

Grandpa Wayne’s eyes remained fixed on him.

"The weapons are designed with automatic detection systems," Enzo continued. "They scan for biological movement patterns and abnormal energy signatures. Once a target is identified, the system channels stored energy through the meteor core, converting it into a concentrated beam."

He paused slightly before adding, "The beam is not conventional light. It is a high-energy emission that penetrates and destabilizes biological structures at a molecular level. Compared to gamma radiation, it is stronger and more powerful, and significantly more destructive within a confined area."

Grandpa Wayne’s fingers stilled.

"It does not spread like radiation," Enzo added. "It hits the target directly and breaks it down instantly. That is why it can eliminate monsters efficiently without damaging the surrounding structures."

Enzo merely repeated the words of the geologist, not that he fully comprehended every meaning behind those words.

Silence settled in the room again.

Grandpa Wayne gave a slow nod. Though the tension in his expression did not ease as he reached for the tea on his desk, lifting the cup with steady hands as if his chest wasn’t clenching from the fact the instructions were hidden from him.

Enzo’s gaze lingered briefly on the tea, a faint crease forming between his brows before he looked away.

"Should I deploy all forces now?" he asked.

Grandpa Wayne took a small sip before placing the cup back down. "Deploy them," he said calmly. "With those weapons in place, I am assured of our defense."

Enzo nodded and turned to leave. But just as he took a step forward, a sudden sound came from behind him. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

A sharp gasp of breath.

Enzo’s steps halted.

Behind him, Grandpa Wayne’s hand had moved to his chest, his fingers gripping tightly against his clothing as his face twisted in pain, the calm expression from before shattering instantly.

"Commander..." Enzo began, turning around quickly.

But before he could take another step, Grandpa Wayne’s body slumped forward, his strength giving out as he collapsed back into his chair, his hand slipping limply from his chest.

The teacup rattled slightly against the desk. At that exact moment, the door burst open.

"Father!" Margaret’s voice rang out sharply as she rushed inside, Felicia following closely behind her.

Felicia’s eyes widened the moment she saw him. "Grandpa!" she cried out as she ran forward, her hands grabbing his shoulders as she shook him desperately. "Wake up! Grandpa, wake up!"

There was no response. His head tilted slightly to the side, his breathing shallow, almost nonexistent.

Felicia’s hands trembled as tears rushed down her face. "No... no... please wake up..."

Behind her, Margaret’s gaze snapped toward Enzo. Her expression hardened instantly.

"You..." she said, her voice trembling before rising sharply. "What did you do?!"

Before Enzo could react, she rushed forward and grabbed him, her hands clutching tightly onto his clothes as her nails dug into the fabric. "You poisoned him!" she screamed.

Enzo frowned, immediately trying to pull her hands away. "Let go," he said, his tone firm. "I did nothing."

"You were the only one here with him!" Margaret shouted, her grip tightening instead of loosening. "You think I didn’t see what you’ve been doing? You want power, don’t you? You wanted him out of the way!"

"That’s ridiculous," Enzo replied, his voice steady despite the situation as he tried to peel her hands off. "You are making baseless accusations."

Felicia’s sobs grew louder in the background as she continued shaking Grandpa Wayne, her voice breaking. "Someone help! Please, someone help!"

The noise drew attention quickly. Within seconds, footsteps echoed outside before several Wayne soldiers rushed into the room, their weapons raised instinctively as they took in the chaotic scene before them.

Margaret pointed at Enzo immediately. "Seize him!" she ordered. "He poisoned my father!"

The soldiers hesitated for only a brief moment before moving.

Enzo did not resist, though his expression darkened slightly as they restrained him, his gaze shifting toward Margaret. "You are accusing me without proof," he said.

"I don’t need proof!" Margaret snapped. "You were alone with him! Who else could have done it?!"

Enzo let out a quiet breath, his eyes steady as he looked at her. "For someone who claims to care so much about him," he said slowly, "you seem more focused on framing me than checking whether he is still alive."

Margaret’s expression stiffened for a fraction of a second. But she did not let go of her stance.

"Take him away!" she ordered again, her voice sharper this time.

The soldiers tightened their grip on Enzo as the room filled with tension, Felicia’s cries continuing in the background while the situation spiraled further out of control.